Sales of premium large cars in Europe are down 1% in the first half of 2016, as they recovered in Q2 from a 5% dip in the first quarter. With “just” a 77% share of the segment, the Germans are less dominant in large cars than they are in any premium car segment (this excludes SUVs where their dominance is even less). The battle for the segment lead has intensified, with the Audi A6 holding on to its top position, but only just. It was outsold in Q2 by the Mercedes-Benz E-Class by a margin of 3.000 units and is more than likely to have to relegate its position by the next quarter to the new generation E-Class. The E-Class is already the biggest winner in the segment top-10 with an increase of 13% in the first half, thanks to a 27,5% improvement in Q2 when deliveries of the new generation started. It’s unlikely to face any strong competition for the rest of the year, until BMW answers with the next generation 5-series by early 2017.

The premium large car segment in Europe has shrunk by 5% in the first quarter of 2016, as customers are waiting for new versions of two of the top-3 players in this segment. So I expect this segment to show a healthy increase by the time of the year, with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5-Series on top of the sales charts, thank to their new generations. That means sales of the outgoing versions of those cars are down, leaving the Audi A6 to consolidate its position as the leader of the segment, a title it claimed last year when it was freshly updated. The new E-Class will arrive in showrooms in the second quarter, and has been fully revealed. Its design is not very surprising, as it’s hard to distinguish from the C-Class and S-Class but for its size. Then again, this strategy seems to work for Audi, and the majority of our readers also think the new one is better than the old one, when polled last January. BMW hasn’t yet revealed much of its new 5-Series, but this also promises to be a frontrunner in new technology.

The oldest Joint Venture between a Chinese manufacturer and a foreign auto maker is that between American Motors and Beijing Auto Works, which was established in 1983, making the Jeep Cherokee XJ in China, starting in 1985. When Chrysler took control of AMC, the Chinese JV fell into their lap, and it even continued after the merger with Daimler. US production of the Cherokee ended in 2001, but production in China continued until 2007. A few years earlier, Beijing Jeep Corporation had bought the production line for the Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ which ended US production in 2004. Chinese production of the Grand Cherokee started in 2006 and lasted only that year, when DaimlerChrysler decided to drop local production of the two Cherokee models as SUVs made up only 5% of the market at that time, while sedans took 90%. They started Chinese production of the Chrysler 300C instead, followed by the Sebring in 2007. The two models suffered from slow sales and when DaimlerChrysler split up again later that year, Daimler held on to the partnership with BAIC, pulling the plug out of Chrysler production in China, leaving Chrysler in the wind. Eventually Fiat bought Chrysler out of its bankruptcy and included the American brand in its manufacturing Joint Venture with GAC, starting production of the new generation Jeep Cherokee at the end of 2015.

Meanwhile, BAIC started production of the BAW Qishi (Chinese for Knight) in 2009, which was its own version of the Cherokee XJ, now with a five-slot grille and Nissan-sourced 4-cylinder engines. The Qishi was not very successful, which isn’t surprising considering it was based on a 25-year old design, no matter how good it was. A 2011 upgrade and rename to Qishi S12 didn’t help much. [Read more…]

Sales of premium large cars are down 1% to 389.184 units in 2015, which makes last year the second-worst year for the segment, after 2009. However, if you consider that the top-4 models, which hold over 80% of segment volume, are due to be replaced in 2016, a decrease of just one percent is actually quite a stable performance. The new generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class has already been revealed and will be the first of the three to arrive in European showrooms. As a result, it is down the most at -15%. It remains to be seen if the design of the new E-Class is going to be a hit or a miss, as it either looks like a shrunk S-Class or a blown-up C-Class. Then again, don’t expect any revolutions from Audi and BMW either, as this is by far the most conservative segment in terms of design. Both will show their new generations of the A6 and 5-series soon and they should be in showrooms in the second half of the year. Considering Audi’s design evolution, it’s not hard to imagine what the new A6 will look like: exactly like the outgoing model with just a few touch-ups to keep it recognizable yet fresh at the same time. Meanwhile, BMW is expected to follow a similar strategy even though the new 5-series will be built on a shortened version of the lightweight platform of the also new 7-series, which means it’ll shed some weight. All three will become available with electrified drivetrains, although no all-electric versions are in the pipeline that we know of.

The premium large car segment in Europe has found the way back up again, with sales improving 4,4% in Q3, bringing the year-to-date score to -2%, from -5% in the first half of the year. The ongoing three-way battle between the Audi A6, BMW 5-series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class appears to be decided for 2015, with the A6 extending its lead in Q3, even if the 5-series gained 9,1% this quarter and sold just 300 units less than its rival. This also put the 5-er well ahead of the E-Class to consolidate its #2 spot that had been under fire in Q2.

For the A6, which hadn’t led the segment since 2007, it’s likely to be a short stint on top, as both of its main competitors are being completely renewed next year. Mercedes will go first, around the end of the second quarter, and BMW will follow shortly with the new 5-series. Audi won’t renew the A6 until a year later. [Read more…]

The premium large car segment in Europe continues its slow but steady decline, with sales down 5% in the first half of 2015, after a 3% drop in Q1. After the Mercedes-Benz E-Class led the segment in 2014, the BMW 5-series took control in the first three months of 2015, but in the following quarter, both were being outsold by the Audi A6, and by a vast margin.

Year-to-date the A6, which has been facelifted earlier this year, is now ahead of its two main rivals with a 3.500 and 4.500 units lead respectively, thanks to being the freshest of the threesome. Both the 5-series and the E-Class have been facelifted in 2013, the former only slightly and the latter received major updates and will be fully renewed next year. The 5-series won’t be replaced until 2017. If the A6 manages to hold on to its top position, which I think it will, it will be the first time since 2007 it will top the class, and also the first time for the current generation. The E-Class outsold the 5-series in May and June, so the full-year top-3 is likely to be in this order: A6, E-Class, 5-series. [Read more…]

Sales of premium large cars continue their slow but steady slide, with sales down 3% in Q1 of 2015 after falling by respectively 3% and 8% in 2014 and 2013. The traditional top-3 is reshuffled again, with the BMW 5-series back in the lead, just as it was after the first three months of last year, before being overtaken by the Mercedes-Benz E-Class by the end of 2014.

However, the E-Class is now kicked down into third place, possibly due to cannibalization of the smaller, but newer C-Class. The Benz is outsold by the recently facelifted Audi A6 for the first time since 2012, thanks to sales up 15% for the A6. The battle for the segment crown will remain fierce until the end of the year, with just 2.000 units between the three competitors and the third-placed E-Class outselling both its rivals again in March. [Read more…]

Sales of premium large cars are down for the third straight year to the segment’s second lowest figure in at least two decades, above only 2009. In a segment where the top two players dominate with more than 50% share, the fortunes of these two have a large influence on the overall figure.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been the leader every year until 2005, when it was outsold by both the BMW 5-series and the Audi A6. Ten years later, 2014 is only the third year that the E-Class has finished back on top since, with the A6 taking first place from 2005 until 2007 and the 5-series winning in 2008 and 2011 until 2013.

Both the Mercedes-Benz and the BMW fall below 100.000 units and they won’t be likely to recover in 2015, as both models will be completely renewed in 2016. That may give the A6 an advantage this year, as it has just received a facelift and was surprisingly stable in 2014 after declining 16% in 2013.

Behind the traditional German Big 3, the Swedes finish in fourth place, like in the midsized premium segment. [Read more…]